Reading is more than just a hobby. (Open)

Odysseus was enjoying some quiet time, something he rarely got since he had come to Camp Half-Blood. That was a year ago. He remembered that he had loved it so much that he had become a Year-Rounder, but what was more important was that he was able to spend his time creating combat strategies and practicing sword and spear combat. However, today was different. He was relaxing and reading.

Odysseus took a book out one of his personal drawers. It was one of his favorite books, but not his most favorite. The book was American Military Strategy of the 1800's. He loved reading about the tactics of 19th century armies. As he laid back down, Odie heard noises coming from outside the cabin. He was tempted to take a look, but decided against it. That was when someone came bursting through the door.

Odysseus glanced up from his book, and set it down when he saw Melina. He was good with names. He knew everybody in the Athena cabin, but was not always the outgoing type, so he had never really talked to most of them. "Hello. Melina, right? I am Odysseus Carlson, but most people just call me Odie. My dad named me after one of Mom's favorite heroes. Apparently, she approves."

He paused to make sure his book was bookmarked. He didn't want to lose his spot. He set it back in it's place on the bookshelf, and turned to face his half-sister, on the godly side of the family. He smiled, and stacked up his copies of the various battle strategies he had been perfecting about various battlefields in the American Civil War. He was testing to see how much one simple tactical advantage could change the tide of a battle.

"Looks like somebody's been practicing combat pretty hard. You look like you could use a break." He said the last part with a smile.

Taking a spare canteen of water from his rack, the fifteen year old Californian tossed it to her. "Here, you need to drink. If you don't drink enough water, you could dehydrate. We may be Demigods, but we're still mortal. Take the canteen, I have plenty more."

He sat down at a small table and motioned for Melina to sit as well. "So, let's get this party started. Tell me about yourself, besides the fact that you're a daughter of Athena. That is obvious." He grinned with his heartwarming smile that people loved to see, grabbed his own canteen, and took a swig from it. He glanced up at his spear as he waited. Most people didn't know this about Odysseus, but he preferred using spear and shield during battle. However, he also had a sword which was always at his side during battle. He kept it for extremely close range combat.

Odysseus took a quick sip from his water, and looked at Melina. "Odysseus wasn't just any hero. Mom gave him the idea to create the Trojan Horse. Not to mention that he also was the first to skirt around the prophecy of an Oracle. He is definitely my favorite hero."

Odysseus took a moment to grin with a mischievous glint to his eye. "It seems like Mom is always meeting guys at universities. My dad met Mom when he was professor of Ancient Roman and Greek Culture at UCLA. He's still there living with my step-mother." He said the last part about his step-mother with hatred.

Odysseus took out a scroll, one of his hundreds of battle strategies, and added something to it. "Well, that's good that you've been reunited with your sister. I'm Mom's only child, but I do have two half-siblings, they're alright."

Odysseus finished, and from the look on his face you could tell he was pleased with himself. He rolled the scroll back up and set it in it's place on one of the shelves. He turned back to his sister, and added,"It looks like everybody here gets attacked before they get here. For instance, the superintendent at my boarding school happened to be a Laestrygonain. Nearly killed me, but it was Greek day and I happened to have that spear with me. It saved my life, that was when I met some satyr I still don't know the name of. He whisked me here, and here I am."

"So, you traveled with your dad? What was that like?"

Odysseus looked at her with a tiny bit of pity. It was hard not to pity such a story, but such was the story of many heroes lives. Jealousy, pain, suffering were all parts of a never ending story in the world of heroes.

Odysseus replied,"Yeah, I've tried to model my life somewhat after his. Now that I know I'm a Demigod, I can model my whole life after him." He said the last part as a joke.

"You seem to have harsh feelings toward your sister. Are you two having problems? If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

He finished his water, and tossed it on his bunk. "At least you guys had each other. I know many families that are broken, and a couple of my childhood friends lived in a foster home. I know it can be hard living life as a Demigod. I was nearly killed by my monster superintendent. I'm just glad that Satyr was there."

"Listen, Melina, you can't just bottle up your feelings all the time. We, as children of Athena, should understand this better than anybody. You need to talk, it will help you feel better. It also helps you focus better in combat when you don't have any stress inside you. When I fight, I usually focus all my stress and anger right into my form. You should try it sometime, it helps."

He paused for a moment, and stood up. "Come on, let's go outside. We can sit outside the cabin and talk. It's too beautiful of a day to be cooped up inside."

Pushing his chair in, Odysseus walked outside grabbing his spear, shield, and a rag on his way out the door. He was planning on keeping his weapon and shield nice and shiny as long as he possibly could. "Listen, I never said you hated your sister. I just said that there was some animosity there. You need to deal with it sooner or later, or things could get worse."

He didn't usually give advice to someone he'd just met, but he felt like it was something Mom would want him to do. That was what advice was all about. He could give her advice all day long until he was blue in the face, but she had to be the one to do something about it.

"Yes, I know," Melina said solemly, lowering her head to the floor. "I understand that it's better to talk about your problems. The thing is-" The 12-year-old's voice began to trail off. "I don't like feeling like I'm another burden to bear. Others have their own obstacles to worry about, and I wouldn't want them showing sympathy for me. I have been trying to find someone to talk about it with me, I really have. I just haven't found someone that really understands yet. I never even shared half of my past with my boy- er, closest friend." The demigod ceased her words. She didn't dare to go any further. She herself was having doubts about her boyfriend, Kai Crosshawk.

It's not that she hated him or anything. In fact, it was by far the opposite. The truth was that a few months ago, the daughter of Athena was captured by the lord of the dead. It wasn't even for that good of a reason, in her opinion. It was because Melina had engaged in a relationship with Hades' son. Why had he decided to take such risks and bring it to such measures? The demigod was still unsure of that. The fact that her mother had decided to save her was the interesting part. Melina never considered herself as a major asset to her mother.

After realizing she had been lost in thought, the young girl redirected her attention to Odysseus. "Those are my reasons. I wish I didn't have to be the way I was sometimes."

~ The whole Melina and Hades thing was a topic I roleplayed a while back. I thought it would serve some purpose in the post. xP

"Well, you can always talk to me. You don't have to worry about being a burden to me. If more children of Athena would be more friendly to each other, we wouldn't have this problem. I'm serious, you obviously need someone to talk, and I'm you're big half-brother, so there you go. Trust me, I know what it's like to be alone."

He took the rag and started wiping down his shield as he spoke. He was really routing for Melina, he barely knew his younger half-sister, but he understood being alone. A lot of times, someone just needed another person to talk to.

"So, about this boyfriend of yours," he said with a mischievous grin,"Tell me about him."

OOC: It could possibly serve some purpose. We'll just have to see.

"Hm. That is interesting. The son of Hades, huh?"


He continued to wipe down his shield, returning the shine to it. Once the shield had its shine, again, he took his shield and set it down. Picking up his spear that he called Silencer, he took the rag and started shining the Celestial Bronze tip.

" Listen, I'm no expert in love, but I think that you can't give up if you really like him. At least that was what I was told once."

Odysseus was no expert in love, it was true. He could never give advice on love, unless he'd been given the same advice. He was great at giving advice on any subject, but the one that he'd had the most problem with, and that was love.

He continued," It looks like Mom was looking out for you. She would never let one of her children be left to the Underworld. We mean more to her than we know, she told me so the one time I met her once."

"As for your boyfriend, I think that I would like to meet him, sometime," he said with a wink and a mischievous grin.

Before she could say anything, he added,"Hey, big brother's got to approve."

"Well, that is interesting. That does sound like Mom, though. Well, I guess it's all up to you. Why didn't you think you could talk to him? I mean, Mom basically said you shouldn't be together for your own good. Don't you think you owe him an explanation? I would want one if I were in his position. It's up to you, though."

He set the rag down and examined his spear, Silencer. It was bright bronze once more. He grinned and whistled a quick cheerful tune. Sitting his spear down, he turned back to Melina.

"Me, say something intimidating," he replied with a wink and a grin,"I wouldn't do that."

He laughed, pulled his sword, Wolf Bane, and started wiping it down as well.

Faye walked towards cabin 6 smiling. Her little brother' s hand gripped hers. Faye noticed two of her siblings talking. One was Melina and the other was... Odysseus. She lead Carter over to them. Carter hadn't met many of his siblings yet, if any. Faye smiled at them her grey eyes sparkling." Hey guys, have you met Carter?" the demigod asked motioning to her brother.
Carter smiled when he saw more people, Faye must know them. He smiled big showing his teeth." Hi I'm Carter!" he greeted.

Faye smiled, but had the feeling she was interrupting something." Are we um... interrupting something? We can leave, Carter has to sleep soon anyway." she asked. If they wanted privacy, they could just say so.
Carter yawned in agreement to sleep. He had been up all night training. He looked on his arms synthesis scars left from Alex and sighed.

"Well, yeah, that is...," Odysseus broke off, and turned toward the new face. He recognized Faye and her little brother, Carter. He'd met Faye once, but it had been a while. He smiled wryly as he wiped down his sword.

To Faye, he replied,"No, Faye, you are not interrupting anything, we were just debating whether I would say anything intimidating to Melina's boyfriend. I don't think so, but Melina thinks I might. Who would you bet on? If you want please have a seat. Here let me make some room."

He picked up his sword, spear, and shield, and moved it in front of him, and gestured for her to sit down. He continued to wipe his sword clean.

"So, what are you to this fine, wonderful day, Faye?"

Odyseus looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes, but a look of faux innocence on his face. "Oh, I have no clue what you are referring to Melina. I'm just a simple guy trying to make his way in this camp."

He grinned, and added,"Besides, I have my own girlfriend to worry about. She keeps me in line, you know."

Pausing a moment, his facial expression changed as if he had just thought of something. "So, Melina, what are you going to do about Nico? Will you still date him?"

"Look, Melina, we all have to make tough choices at some point in our lives. It doesn't matter if we believe we can stop it from happening, because it is innevitable that at some point in their lives, everyone will have to make some big decision that will have major consequences. Every choice you make, in this world, has consequences, either good or bad. You have to make your own decisions, no one can tell make them for you. Just like no one can tell a story except for his or her own."

He paused and pursed his lips solemnly. "You have to make this decision on your own, Melina. However, you need to take a look at every choice and it's possibilities and consequences. Also, remember, there are other fish in the sea, as my dad used to say."